1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming device such as a facsimile device, a printer, or the like, and in particular to an image forming device comprised of a paper tray having a movable auxiliary mounting unit that can be deployed from a paper mounting unit.
2. Background Information
Generally speaking, image forming devices such as copying machines, facsimile devices, printers and the like are provided with a paper supply cassette that stores paper for recording images thereon, and a manual paper supply tray that allows a user to supply paper of a different orientation or size than that stored in the paper supply cassette. One type of prior art manual paper supply tray for an image forming device includes a paper mounting unit arranged so as to be extendable and foldable with respect to a side surface of the image forming device, and an auxiliary mounting unit that is arranged so that it can slide out from the paper mounting unit (see, for example, FIGS. 1-3 of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H09-188443). In addition, the prior art also discloses a paper discharge tray to which printed sheets are discharged, and is arranged so as to extend from a side surface of the image forming device (see, for example, FIGS. 1-3 of Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H09-188443).
Most of these types of image forming devices have an exterior color that is a shade of white (which includes white, beige, ivory, or the like), and the color of the manual paper supply tray and the paper discharge tray is identical to or a similar shade of the exterior color. In addition, the paper mounting unit and the auxiliary mounting unit that form the manual paper supply tray or the paper discharge tray have the same identical color, and have a color that is identical to or a similar shade of the exterior color.
The white shade of color of these types of image forming devices is useful to brighten the interior of an office. However, if the color of the manual paper supply tray and the discharge tray are the same color as the exterior of the image forming device, it will be difficult for a user located some distance away from the image forming device to confirm whether or not there is paper remaining in the manual paper supply tray, or confirm that paper is being discharged to the paper discharge tray, i.e., whether or not the image forming device is operating. In particular, because the lighting in office space has in recent years been set to a slightly dark level, and because image forming devices are often placed in slightly dark, non-central locations, it is often difficult to confirm the presence of paper in the manual paper supply tray and the paper discharge tray. Furthermore, image forming devices are now being designed for quiet operation, and thus it is often difficult for one to determine whether or not the image forming device is operating by means of operational sounds. Thus, a user located some distance away from the image forming device must walk to a point near the image forming device in order to confirm the operational state of the image forming device.
On the other hand, if the color of the exterior of the image forming device is a shade of black (such as black, gray, or the like) in order to make it easier to distinguish it from white paper, it will be easier to confirm whether or not there is paper remaining in the manual paper supply tray or whether or not paper is being discharged to the paper discharge tray.
However, a manual paper supply tray or a paper discharge tray foldably arranged on a side surface of an image forming device will be used in a state in which it extends out from the device, and an auxiliary mounting unit thereof may also be extended therefrom. Thus, if an image forming device having an exterior that is a shade of black is placed in a slightly dark location, and the manual paper supply tray or the paper discharge tray extends out from a side surface of the device, there is a possibility that a person passing by this location may not notice that one or both of these trays are extended, and thus collide with and damage them.
In addition, although the manual paper supply tray and the paper discharge tray include a paper mounting unit arranged so as to be extendable and foldable with respect to a side surface of the image forming device, and an auxiliary mounting unit that is arranged so that it can slide out from the paper mounting unit, when the auxiliary mounting unit is to be pulled out from the paper mounting unit, it will be difficult for one to immediately recognize which portion one needs to grasp and pull out because the paper mounting unit and the auxiliary mounting unit are both the same color.
In view of the above, there exists a need for a method of producing an image forming device which overcomes the above mentioned problems in the prior art. This invention addresses this need in the prior art as well as other needs, which will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.